In 2010, Katie and Roger Foster took a "leap-of-faith" and temporarily moved to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates where Roger had accepted a position. This blog is an account of their expat adventures and travels around the Arabian peninsula and beyond.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would be moving to a foreign country to live, let alone a country in the Middle East. Over the 2009 Christmas and New Year’s holidays, my husband Roger and I discussed what we wanted the next part of our life to be like. He thought that before retiring, he would like to do one more airport project but only if he could find something very interesting. I half-jokingly agreed that would be fine but could he try for an exotic location? As usual, Roger came through and soon we were headed to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. This blog is a recap of our "leap-of- faith" wanderings around the Middle East and beyond. We joyfully share these expat experiences.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

36 HOURS in DUBAI . . . Top 10 Things to Do and See in Dubai!

Jon & Elaine & the Burj Al Arab

Expats living in Dubai
are delighted to have friends and family visit their adopted city. The lucky
ones get to stay for an extended period but in many cases it is simply a pass
through on the way to/from other travels.
So in a limited amount of time, what are the “must do/see” places in
Dubai?

I had to make this decision recently when good friends Jon and Elaine Krupnick stopped by on their way home from an extensive
trip to Sri Lanka and India, immediately followed by my
sister Paty Barr and her friend Kathryn Brandt who were stopping by to
pick up me and Jani Diedam on their
way to our excursion to India (more on that later).

Paty & Kathryn's first trip to the desert

It is a daunting task to entertain these two disparate types
of travelers. Jon and Elaine are world travelers (I think that Dubai was country
number 160). Paty and Kathryn have each made an international trip but never to
the Middle East. What was I going to show them so they would appreciate the
intriguing beauty of my adopted home? Things they had never seen or done!

I had to think hard and long to pair the list down to my
top 10 “must dos” and then figure out how to fit them into the time frame
allowed. Not everyone got to see all 10 but you could with the right timing.

1.The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Krupnicks
& Fosters in appropriate attire

to visit the mosque

There is no question what is number one. While not
technically in DubaiThe Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosquein
Abu Dhabi is only 40 minutes from
our apartment and is perennially at the top of the list. Its sheer beauty is
jaw dropping, the engineering is amazing and the craftsmanship is exquisite. Think a combination of Istanbul’s Blue Mosque
and India’s Taj Mahal.

Paty with beautiful

semi-precious stone inlay

The Mosque is a very interesting and informative
experience for gaining an understanding of the Islam faith. Mosques are rarely
open to non-Muslims but, in the case of the Grand Mosque it has been made
available to the public reflectingSheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s,the first President of the UAE and father of the country,
desire "to educate others on the true essence and meaning of the Islamic faith
which promotes freedom, justice, equality, understanding while simultaneously
embracing diversity and progress."

Open 9AM – 10PM it is important that you go when the tours
are given: Saturday - Thursday: 10am, 11am and 5PM; Friday: 5PM, 7:30PM; Double
check times as they change periodically. Admission is free.

2.Burj Khalifa

Kathryn &
Paty overlooking Dubai

from the Burj Khalifa

Second on my list has to be a trip to the Burj Khlaifa – Dubai is the ONLY place
you can visit the world’s tallest building. Best place to get a bird’s
eye view of the city.

Better go quick as Saudi
Arabia has announced that its KingdomTower will be completed in 2017 and
it will be the tallest!

Best to order tickets online ahead of time as they do
sell out – sunset is a prime time. Onlnine adults AED 100, children AED 75; at the door all tickets are AED 400.

3.Dubai Fountains

If you get the Burj Khalifa sunset tickets, complete your
evening with a walk over to the Souq Al Behar and have dinner overlooking theDubaiFountains.

This entrancing $218 million performance of light, music and water was
choreographed by WET Design. The same company that did the Bellagio Hotel
fountain in Las Vegas – but as is the style in Dubai – Dubai’s is more
spectacular – 6,600 light and 25 colored projectors accompanied by classical, contemporary
and Arabic music.

Many restaurants offer a perfect place for a romantic dinner
overlooking the fountain’s nightly show. Dinner reservations are a must. The
show goes off every 30 minutes beginning at sunset.

The Center is dedicated to increasing
awareness and understanding among the different cultures in Dubai. It offers informative free visits to the Jumeirah Mosque every Sunday, Tuesday,
Thursday and Saturday at 10AM; cultural breakfasts every Monday and Wednesday
at 10 AM for AED 60 and luncheons Sunday and Tuesday at 1 PM for AED 70. Especially nice is the Iftar dinner during Ramadan.

Paty, Kathryn and I went on my
personal favorite - the walking tour of Bastakiya,
the oldest Emirati neighborhood in Bur Dubai. The tour includes a Q&A
session in the Bastakiya Mosque where Director Nasif insists you can ask
any question you want about Islam. Tour cost AED 55. Contact the Center for a schedule of these tours.

5.The Desert

Jon checks out the red dunes

Uniquely Dubai is the desert and everyone really must
have a desert experience during their visit. There are many offerings for
tourist desert safaris but I have resisted any these as I think they are “bad Disney” and too gimmicky.

There are a number of great desert resorts – my favorite
being Banyan Tree but we
took Jon and Elaine to the highly rated AlQasr Al Sarab Desert Resort west Abu Dhabi to see the unique massive red dunes in the Empty Quarter desert. While we were disappointed with the hotel,
the experiences of riding the dunes and learning about flacons was exceptional.
We also arranged a private desert experience when our son Russell came.

Each of Dubai’s souqs is an authentic, unique shopping
experience located in the Deira and Burj Dubai areas of Dubai. On one side
of the Dubai Creek you can visit the
Spice Souq, don’ forget to stop and
see my personal spice merchant Yousef, and the Gold Souq and
then ride an abra across the Dubai Creek to visit the Textile Souq.

Meena Bazaar ,
one of the last thriving authentic outdoor shopping experiences with open
streets and narrow alleyways, is located on the Burj Dubai side of the Creek.
Here you will find a virtual cacophony of men’s and women’s fashions, jewelry,
restaurants and takeaway stands. Don’t
try and find this one on your own. Any
taxi driver will know where this is.

The Fish andVegetable Souqis an experience all on its own. Just remember
that, as is the tradition in old Dubai, these souqs pretty much close down in
the middle of the day. Best to go early morning around 9AM or after 4 PM – note
the Fish Souq does not reopen until 5 PM.

7. Burj
Al Arab

Reportedly the world’s most luxurious
and expensive hotel, the Burj Al Arab is rumored to claim 7 stars! Don’t even think
about dinner here unless you are really, really, really flush! More affordable
option is “Sky High Tea” at sunset. This magnificent afternoon tea takes place
on the top floor in the Skyview Bar with its stunning views of the man-made
islands of The Palm Jumeirah and the
World Islands. Champagne is also
offered and enjoyed! We celebrated Kathryn’s birthday here is royal style. Reservations
are a must – you can’t get through the security check point without one - cost
AED 425, a whopping $116 per person. Champagne extra.

8.Camels

You just can’t send anyone home without meeting a camel.

UAE camels are such lovable, cuddly animals with beautiful expressive faces. Not the nasty spitting ones I have heard about.

While, from my apartment I can see camel rides on the Jumeirah Beach, I prefer
to go into the desert and find some less domesticated ones.

Three good options: 1) around the Dubai Camel Racing Track off E66 just beyond the Sevens Rugby Stadium, turn off first
road after Rugby Stadium and go past grandstand. Drive around any of the dirt
roads - camel corrals are everywhere; 2) the road between Abu Dhabi and Hamin. From Sheikh Zayed Road (E11)
just beyond Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa Bin
Zayed City take exit 306 towards Hamin. When you pass the Emirates National Car Museumyou know you are headed in the right direction; and 3) the road between 311 and
the coastal area of Ras Al Khamiah. Travel
311 towards Ras Al Khaimah and take exit 86 towards the coast. If you don’t
have any luck when you reach E11 go north. Even if you don’t see camels you can
stop at Barracudas Beach Resort for
lunch.

Be sure to take a bag of apples with you and you are
certain to attract a caravan of hungry camels. Elaine even managed to attract a
black camel the first one we have seen in the UAE.

And, theDubai Camel Racing Club offer camel races from November to
March at the track next to the Sevens Rugby Stadium. There are other camel racing tracks throughout the Emirates.

Frequented by the world’s horseracing elite
and considered one of the most beautiful tracks in the world, the Meydan prides
itself on being a world-class breeding and training facility.

Cool hat
Diane!

It is the home of the richest, most illustrious horse
race – the Dubai World Cup held in
late March. It is one of the most sought
after, and expensive, tickets in Dubai – it ranks right up there with The Ascot Races in England.

And as with
the Ascot, when you have had your fill of the races, you can always “hat watch”
as the ladies pull out all stops in the millinery department for the race.

Thankfully, Paty and Kathryn turned down my timorous offer to get us tickets
(cheapest ones I found were $1000 each) so we had to enjoy it vicariously
through our friends Diane and Steve's experience. Track open January – March.

Want to see where the equine stars of the world’s racing
scene spend their time? Meydan offers a Stable Tour & Breakfast package
from November thru April. Cost is AED 250 for adults and AED 220 for children. Call the concierge at the Meydan Hotel 04 381 3375 or 050 107 8980.

10.My favorite places to shop . . .

Rashad enjoys explaining the intricacies of carpets.

Carpets - the Blue
Souk, also known as the Central Souq, in Sharjah, just 30 minutes from downtown Dubai, offers a variety of
carpet shops.

Take the Sheikh Zayed Road (E11) north towards
Sharjah, after passing the Safeer Mall look for a large Carrefour on your right
and take the next exit - King Faisal Street - toward the water (east). As you
come across an overpass you will see the blue roofs of the souq on your left.
Go pass the Souk to a very large confusing roundabout, staying to the left pass
under the overpass twice coming back around to the souq – you want to park in
the building on your right down at the far end.

BFFs Jani & Carmen make friends at the Antique Museum

Antique MuseumBuy
Gifts . .Do Charity. A unique
warehouse with a maze of shoulder-wide
passageways offering gifts, handicrafts and antiques imported from around the
world. It is located in the Al
Quoz industrial area.

Do yourself a
favor and do not miss this experience. He has all the souvenirs you would ever hope to take home!

Owners maintain factories in
impoverished countries that employ the unskilled and handicapped providing them
with the means for self-sufficiency.

For those living in Dubai this is the best place in town for framing. Affordable and beautiful workmanship.

46 comments:

Well! You did a great job entertaining us, Katie and Roger. What great guides and such wonderful experiences. Never did feed a camel apples before and we were so amazed at Roger turning around on the highway to share this experience with one small request from his bride.. You two found gems in each other and we are so happy we got to know your both better.Anxious to have you home and entertain you in the Keys and Colorado.Elaine and Jon

A blog on the $3.2 billion Abu Dhabi airport? That is a good idea. I see what I can do about it. However, it hasn't even come out of the ground yet and is not scheduled to be completed until 2017! Here is a link to the large article about it that appeared in The National newspaper yesterday. http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/industry-insights/aviation/arab-group-on-runway-for-3-2bn-air-terminal

I have spend 7 days in Dubai and that was very nice experience for me. I also recommend to the people to visit top 10 places that are mentioned in above article. Those all are really very nice places to see and so many activities to do.

However there are a lot of great destinations to visit in Dubai like Marsa Dubai, Mina Al Salam, Shaikh Rashid's House and Emirates Mall. But Marsa Dubai is the best destination to visit in my wishlist during a trip to Dubai. Here are all places i wish too go: http://www.weareholidays.co.in/travel-guide/places-to-see-in-dubai

It is a city of superlatives: for the fastest, biggest, tallest, largest and highest, Dubai is the destination. It has the largest immigrant population in the world dubai is my dream place... wow you have posted such nice blog loving ;;

Thanks for great work. Best wishes for your future endeavour…

I still remember excitement of submitting my first plugin here from.ae see more here check this http://from.ae

Thanks for sharing this interesting blog and your pictures are amazing. Dubai celebrates thousands events and festivals each year that map the modern lifestyle of the city. Dubai desert safari was one of the most exciting tours we had during our last visit to Dubai.

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About Me

Katie
Foster is an American expat freelance journalist and photographer based in the
United Arab Emirates (UAE), having lived in Dubai and currently living in Abu
Dhabi. Her interests include travel, culture, fashion, food and wine. Backed by
more than 25 years of experience in corporate, academic and non-profit public
relations and writing in the USA, she now enjoys focusing her writing skills
full time on her passions.